Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels have been used for producing contact lenses, flexible sensors and actuators, adhesives, wound dressings, and hygiene products and are critical to achieving the controlled release of bioactive molecules. The synthesis and application of hydrogels have received increasing attention across a number of disciplines over the past twenty years. We have seen increasing publications in hydrogel research, and the scientific field is evolving rapidly. For example, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting using cell-loaded hydrogel composites has been one of the emerging topics for realizing artificial organs in biomedical research. The significant point of synthesizing a hydrogel is that the obtained gel should have reasonable mechanical and electrical properties and form effective interfacial connections with various substrates. Double- or even triple-network hydrogels have been fabricated to overcome the drawbacks of weak mechanical properties and low interfacial toughness. Additionally, mechanical training, salt precipitation, and the application of electric or magnetic fields have also been applied to hydrogel synthesis to achieve the desired properties. Challenges remain for commercialization, although a number of hydrogel-related patents are filed each year.

This Special Issue aims to report the most recent research and advances in hydrogel synthesis and applications, such as sensors and actuators, adhesives, 3D printing, etc. Research on new methodologies, mechanism studies, and the modeling of hydrogels are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jun Huang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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• biomaterials
• sensors and actuators
• adhesives
• flexible electronics
• 3D printing
• drug delivery
• network

• Synthesis and Applications of Hydrogels in Gels (13 articles)